Music Videos and Audios

[xanthas]

The sweet & rich sound of a violin....this is heavenly music...so angelic there are no words...

Massenet: Meditation from Thais

Conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra: Placido Domingo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObxzdawhM-8

This is best listened to with a headset - the better to catch the subtleties of the violin & harp.

[AndrewX]

Nice stuff there xanthas, very nice.  :)

Here a guitarist with a difference, a newcomer too:

[flash=425,344]http://www.youtube.com/v/Ddn4MGaS3N4&feature=related&hl=en&fs=1[/flash]

[AndrewX]

Hi HS,

Yeah, Valentina is really something isn't she, a true virtuoso. She's Ukranian and now live in the States.  Her 'interpretation' is excellent and her technique second to none.  She is loved and highly respected throughout the world classical music fraternity, she blows me away with her talent... she's great.

Here she is dousing the piano with spirit and setting it alight again:

[flash=425,344]http://www.youtube.com/v/ZTjJjda31rc&feature=channel&hl=en&fs=1[/flash]

[flash=425,344]http://www.youtube.com/v/oo36WA5MPLE&feature=channel_page&hl=en&fs=1[/flash]
 

... and most people don't realize how hard it is to achieve this level of expertise nor do they realize how great it is to not only hear such a performer, but to SEE them play the music.  Such excellence is stunning to watch as its being created... a far cry from the digitally produced music and sounds.

[AndrewX]

Numerous years ago I went down to the Victorian market in Melbourne city and found an Incan band  playing there that was simply stunning.  I almost ran out of time to do my shopping as I couldn't tear myself away from them.  They filled the air with a beautiful ambience that everyone appreciated and they became regulars there for many years.  I haven't been back there for a while now as they only play on Saturday and Sunday mornings and it would take a long time to travel there and back from where I currently live... which is a pity.  You could hear them throughout the entire market yet they did not play loud, more penetrating natural sounding music than outright loud.  They are called Inka Marka and they have their own blog, one of these days I will hire them to play at a party at my place no doubt.  A great band to have on a nice summers night outdoors with friends.

The song they were playing when I first heard them was called Puru Runas and you can listen to it and other songs of theirs here:

http://www.myspace.com/inkamarka

... and they sounded even better live than they do recorded, no kidding.

The sound of the Andes - in the heart of Melbourne; nice.:)

[xanthas]

That Andy McKee has a very interesting way to play the guitar...! Nice, very nice....! I certainly haven't seen that kind of technique as yet...

Valentina Lisitsa is a real virtuoso indeed... Very, very innovative way ...and.... yes, extremely hard work to get that level. Dedication is a must, discipline, excellence... Being a true professional musician is very demanding.

That Andean music is very lovely, light...

And now something completely different, a real change of pace...literally as well as metaphorically...

As the following videos make abundantly clear, Japan is not just a 'stiff upper lip' nation, but has some genuine root chakra energy (drums resonate with the root chakra, whereas the violon & harp are more associated with the crown chakra... in that the vibration is ethereal).

[color="#0055aa"]Kodō (鼓童[sup]?[/sup]) is an elite [/color]taiko drumming troupe. Based on Sado Island, Japan[color="#0055aa"], they have been a major force in the post-[/color]World War II [color="#0055aa"]revitalization of taiko drumming, both in Japan and abroad.

They regularly tour Japan, Europe, and the United States.[/color]
[color="#0055aa"]Although the main focus of the performance is taiko drumming, other traditional Japanese musical instruments such as fue and [/color]shamisen [color="#0055aa"]make an appearance on stage as do traditional dance and vocal performance.

Kodo's performance include pieces based on the traditional rhythms of regional Japan, pieces composed for Kodo by contemporary songwriters, and pieces written by Kodo members themselves. The numbers that Kodo perform can change from concert to concert.
[/color]
[color="#0055aa"]In Japanese the word "Kodo" conveys two meanings: "heartbeat" the primal source of all rhythm and, read in a different way, the word can mean "children of the drum," a reflection of Kodo's desire to play their drums simply, with the heart of a child.[/color]

[color="#0000ff"]Note:[/color] 'do'  in Japanese means 'way' - hence, Ju-dô or Ko-dô (emphasis on the last 'o' pronunciation is a short 'o' as in Bono).

I love drums...there's something very earthy about it - and, as the video shows, it's very, very physical... Anyone who has tried to play drums knows what I mean...

It is a bit loud so you may want to adjust the volume just in case....icon_wink

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfbHYmsueuE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl-f5a7BgSA

I really like this one a lot....percussion at its best....!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSi7PyJMj3A

[xanthas]

This is one is fun to watch because the bloke is playing with the audience, which is slow to catch on. The location (Vilnius, Lithuania) is interesting.

Just check out the size of the drums (granted, Asians are shorter, they're still massive) & the upper bodies of the drummers (the women stay within their form which is interesting). These guys have serious bicepses...! Their work-outs are known to be extremely strenuous in order to keep drumming.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dark883eH3s&NR=1

This a compilation with some nice flutes 'coming in'. They contain four short clips of Japanese drum performances followed by: "Kodo - Naruto - Japanese drums - Yumi Ga Hama", with some Japanese paintings, and photos of Japanese drum concerts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpBAD4Arl...re=related

[xanthas]

This a link that is more for perusal as one is in the mood for. The concept is very interesting & echoes what I feel to be a genuinely true bond amongst & beyond all tribes, races, cultures, religions &/or political beliefs & philosophical ideologies...

Music connects us beyond words (it doesn't need words as the previous clips have demonstrated beautifully) because it speaks directly to our heart and our soul if are sufficiently receptive & open to receive the gift of music & in that we can bridge a gap that but exists & is fed on from outside influences that would have us believe otherwise...

http://whataboutme.tv/

[color="#0000ff"]Our Journey[/color]
[color="#0055aa"]We travelled for 7 months through all 5 continents, and recorded in over 50 locations to create the most inspiring film and album we could imagine. Our mission was to not only to gather insights on the huge universal themes of lifefrom the most inspiring & illuminating people we could find but also to seek out the cream of the world's musicians & compose immense multi-layered music with them.
[/color]
[color="#0000ff"][color="#0055aa"]Each of the contributors are featured here. Just click on a country to see photos from our trip & click on photo to see excerpts from our diary.[/color][/color]

Enjoy!:)

[color="#0000ff"]
[/color]

[AndrewX]

Here's a good drummer/percussionist xanthas, I've seen other stuff he's done and he's always captivating...

 

[flash=425,344]http://www.youtube.com/v/rmIpuWgt65k&hl=en&fs=1[/flash]

[xanthas]

He looks more like someone who combines juggling with drumming....icon_wink. What I like about Kodo is that the instruments are made of natural material (animal skin as well as wood) - the quality of the sound is very different - this bloke's drums sound very metallic if you know what I mean... Natural drums have a warmer quality & resonate differently in their echo...

The following little video portrays to what degree the Kodo drummers are pushed up against their own boundaries - it takes 2 years alone to even get to the testing level of being allowed to be selected to join a troup. The tradition is tied in here - going right back to the Samurai - there are elements of shintoism here as well - the animistic belief & worship of the deceased prior to Buddhism taking over as an established religion ...

In typical perfectionist Japanese fashion they take drumming to a completely different level...icon_cool

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qnq4hHv61DY

[AndrewX]

He looks more like someone who combines juggling with drumming....icon_wink

lolol  I know what you mean, but he's not bad to watch, a creation of the new age 'percussion-ism' me thinks... and the sound of his skins cannot be compared to a natural drum, its sound lacks the limbre and resonance of the natural material... and the weight needed to achieve it.

It is not often that I hear another musician play the composers music better than teh composer himself.  Here's one pianist that plays Rachmaninov's No.3 better than Rachmaninov IMO, his interpretation and presentation are unmatched, Rach would have been proud... or pissed lolol :

[flash=425,344]http://www.youtube.com/v/55eQIlFO_XU&hl=en&fs=1[/flash]

[flash=425,344]http://www.youtube.com/v/oA0kXDMKiLg&feature=related&hl=en&fs=1[/flash]